Summary: A Jedi Knight and his padawan arrive on a planet to answer the call of distressed Jedi...

Author: Quinnocent-Till-Sith

Note all characters were created through a website Star Wars RPG, Annat Tayswi used with permission by creator. Please also note that this is a reworking of a story submitted to these boards in 2004.

(Opinions please)

[i]A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...[/i]

[b]PROLOGUE[/b]
[b]Escape[/b]

Laser bolts bounced of the transport's hull, bringing small green flashes to the blackness of space.
[i]"Blast!",[/i] snarled Mirig Gr'jar, Jedi Knight, as the craft swerved to miss heavier fire, [i]"Arnine, how's she doing?"[/i] The astromech droid warbled as he talked to the ship. Gr'jar looked across to see the shields draining and sighed.
[i]"Padawan?"[/i] Gr'jar flicked a switch.
[i]"Master?"[/i] asked the voice over the com.
[i]"What's happening back there?"[/i]
[i]"Bleeding."[/i]
[i]"Bad?"[/i]
[i]"I'm trying to focus but it's only slowing down."[/i]
Gr'jar swung the ship sharply up and a muffled explosion followed. The ship shook for a second. A red light flashed as the shields became critical.
[i]"Okay, note to self. Never do that again."[/i] R9-D6 whirred in agreement. Gr'jar rolled his eyes then hit the com button. [i]"Padawan, wrap some fabric over the wound. I've got one of them down but it took the shields with it. Get to the escape pod, I'm going to have to crash it."[/i] he lifted his finger off the button and turned, [i]"You too, Ar."[/i] The droid disconnected himself from the craft's controls and whistled as he headed down the corridor.
Gr'jar bashed a few buttons and got up to leave. He paused and felt about his robes before turning and grabbing his golden lightsaber blade off a console, attached it to his belt and moved with patient speed.

The attacking ships, small in size, big on numbers, chased the transport until their bombardment collapsed the hull.
A small orange explosion filled the black for a moment, the smaller ships scattering to avoid, seemingly undamaged as they regrouped each amid small electric blue sparks...

[color=gold][b]CHAPTER I[/b]
[b]Scorched Earth[/b][/color]

[i]"Master, I don't understand. Why would there be teachings this far from the Academy?"
"Many years back, there were those who did not agree with the Council's teachings of the Force so many Jedi created their own training cliques elsewhere - with digruntled students - taking on two or three learners, remaining isolated from the Council.
"They are near extinct now. It is most disturbing that the Council recieved a distress call from one of these cliques, especially when we can not be sure that these Jedi are welcoming.
"Those bounty ships we encountered were not there by accident..."[/i]
The master and padawan made their through undergrowth, R9-D6 bleeping in annoyance. Gr'jar looked down.
[i]"How's the leg, padawan?"
"The bacta patch has allowed me to stabalise the wound but I'll need time to enter a full healing meditation, master."[/i]
Gr'jar smiled. [i]"You'll make a fine Knight one day, Ediit Just."
"I am grateful, master but--"[/i] She paused.
[i]"You sensed something?"
"Yes..."
"I did too, let's go."[/i]

Shrubs and various plant-life brushed past the Jedi as they hurried toward the disturbence they felt through their Force connection. The ground was hard, amplifying the movement of feet scraping over it.
R9-D6 took his time following.
Ediit gasped as she faced a small cluster of trees. At least that's what they once were. Now black from a fire dying out, various other fauna held the scorches of blasterfire.
Gr'jar moved past her, calm and ready for what lay ahead. Grass crunched lightly underfoot, ash taking rest upon his robes as branches were removed as obstacles.
The burns seperated and spread out leaving yellow patches of dust and soil.
[i]"Too quiet,"[/i] Gr'jar whispered. No soun>